Watch: Coldplay ‘hang on’ to R.E.M. with ‘Everybody Hurts’ live cover

Chris Martin is “sad” to see R.E.M. go. So Coldplay tackled the legendary Athens band’s saddest and most popular tunes.

The British group played a drumless “Everybody Hurts” during their appearance at Atlanta’s Midtown Music festival this weekend. It seemed Martin wasn’t feeling quite prepared, though the crowd was enthusiastic.

“See it for the gesture and not for the actual sound,” he quipped.

As previously reported, R.E.M. called it quits last week.

Atlanta’s Piedmont Park was the last of Coldplay’s very stops in the U.S. for 2011, though they’re likely to schedule a full tour sometime after the release of forthcoming “Mylo Xyloto” (due 24). Check all dates here.